Doorlatch



R. MARPLE June 12, 1934.

DOORLATCH Filed Oct. 24, 1932 INVENTOR 770ZZO Mar-7Z ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE DOORLATCH RolloMarple, Jackson, Mich., assignor to Hancock Manufacturing Company, acorporation of This invention relates to door latches and has particularrelation to means for eliminating squeaks and other noises originatingin latch bolts and other parts of latches employed on the doors of motorvehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide means for reducing the squeaksand other noises originating in the latch of a motor vehicle door by soconstructing a latch front plate that oil may be retained for aconsiderable period of time, and for lubrication purposes around theportion of a latch bolt projecting through and disposed in slidablecontact with the aforesaid front plate.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the latches employedin motor vehicles and elsewhere, as to permit a considerable amount ofrelative vertical movement between the latch end of a latch bolt and theplate through which it extends. This construction permits the latch boltend to remain relatively stationary with respect to the striker plateduring periods of relative movement between the door and door frame andconfines practically all of the relative movement between parts towithin the latch casing where the causes for noises and squeaks are moreeasily met.

The invention comprises generally a suitable form of latch having alatch bolt adapted to cooperate with a striker plate carried by the doorframe of a motor vehicle body, or elsewhere where latches are employed,and which latch bolt extends from the inside of the latch through anopening formed in the latch front plate at the edge of the door in whichthe latch is secured. The opening in the front plate is preferablyformed by providing a relatively small opening in the front plate andthen striking inwardly the material of the front plate adjacent certainedges of the opening to form inwardly disposed flanges adapted tocooperate with and to extend within channels in which felt or other oilretaining material is confined. Openings are provided in the channelsand elsewhere through which oil may be supplied to the felt and otheropenings are provided through which oil may slowly escape from thechannels. At edges of the latch bolt where a slight movement of thelatch bolt is not objectionable, the channels are slidably disposed uponthe flanges formed on the front plate in such manner that movement ofthe latch bolt will compress the felt within the channels to press asmall quantity of oil from the felt for lubricating the surfaces of thechannels which the bolt slidably engages. In other regions around thebolt where movement of the bolt would be ob- 1932, Serial No. 639,209

jectionable, the channels are so formed that the oil retaining materialslides or is pressed directly against the adjacent surface of the boltand the movement of the latter causes a distribution of oil upon itssurface by engagement with the felt.

Referring particularly to the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a latch having lubricating meansassociated therewith and. embracing the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the latch looking toward the frontplate thereof andillustrating the lubricating means employed with thebolt embraced therein.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken substantially on line33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of the latch takensubstantially on line 44 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyon'line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the figures of the drawing, the latch 10employed in practicing the invention comprises a metal side plate orframe 11 having a plurality of holes 12 formed therein through whichbolts or screws (not shown) are so inserted for securing the latch inposition. The front of the side plate 11 is bent laterally to provide afront plate indicated at 13 which closes the opening in a door withwhich the latch is employed and in which opening the latch is se- 5cured. For causing a door to be held securely within the door frame(neither the door nor the door frame being herein illustrated) the latchincludes a latch bolt 14 having an end portion 16 secured to the body ofthe latch bolt by rivets indicated at 1'7. The rear end of the bolt issecured in a slide bracket 18 by means of a rivet 19 projecting throughan elongated opening 20 formed in the bolt and the opposite end of whichis fastened inthe side plate 11. The slide bracket 18 is securedelsewhere to the side plate 11 by a rivet 21 or other suitable means.The end 16 of the bolt 14 extends through an opening 22 formed inthefront plate 14. I

In order to reciprocate the bolt upon the pin 19 and within the opening20, either to release'or to secure the door with which the latch isemployed in the frametherefor, the bolt is provided with a depressed camportion 23 which projects rearwardly into engagement with a cam portion24 of a throw lever 26, an arm portion of which is secured foroscillating movement upon the pin 19 and in the region between the bolt14 and the plate 11. Normally, the arm 26 is operated by a rod securedthereto by a rivet indicated at 2'7 and 110 the opposite end of whichconnects with a handle or lever associated with the inside of the door,in a well known manner.

When the arm 26 is oscillated in a counter clockwise direction, byoperation of the aforesaid door handle, the cam portion 24 of the armengages the cam portion 23 of the bolt 14 and withdraws the end 16 frombeyond the front plate 13. When the handle is released the latch boltagain is moved forwardly in such manner that the end 16 will projectbeyond the front plate 13 and engage a striker plate provided on thedoor frame. Tending to retain the latch in the latter position, there isprovided a spring 28, one end of which is secured to a pair of lugs 29projecting from the plate 11 while the opposite end thereof engages aninwardly projecting flange 31 formed on a lower portion of the latchbolt 14.

The handle spindle 30 for opening the door from the outside is adaptedto project through a fiat sided opening 32 which is formedlongitudinally of a cylindrical hub 33 of a conventional roll back 34which is slidably disposed between the surface of the side plate 11 andthe inner surface of a bracket 36 secured rigidly to the side plate byriveted projections 37. The roll back 34 has a cam portion 38 formedthereon adapted to engage an end portion 39 of a slidable link 41 therear end portion 42 of which is adapted to engage the inwardlyprojecting flange 31 of the bolt 14 on the side thereof opposite thatengaged by the spring 28.

When the link 41 is moved rearwardly by the counter-clockwise rotationof the spindle 30, the 35' latch bolt 14 is moved rearwardly, as before,to withdraw the end 16 from in front of the front plate 13.

An upper portion of the link 41, and indicated at 43, is formed toprovide the notch adapted to receive an end portion of the arm 26 whenthe arm is rotated in a direction opposite to that during which thelatch bolt is withdrawn. When the arm is so moved into position behindthe lug 43 the latch bolt 14 cannot be moved by operation of the outsidehandle 13 and consequently the device is considered in a lockedposition. Heretofore, in automobile body constructions, the latch bolthas been held against relative vertical movement with respect to itscasing or other supporting structure, necessitating movement of the boltvertically with the supporting structure and, therefore, the door towhich it is secured. Such doors are normally restrained, when in closedposition, against vertical movement relative to the co-operating doorframe, by so-called dove-tails, but such dove-tails conventionallyemploy resilient or yielding means in their structure which consequentlydo permit a slight vertical movement of the door relative to the doorframe. This relative movement of the door, accompanied by acorresponding movement of the latch bolt, causes the projecting end ofthe latch bolt to rub up and down on the door latch striker plate whichis fixed to the door frame and,

' if the rubbing surfaces lose their lubrication, an

ment relative to its supporting structure and therefore the door, whichthus permits the projecting end of the bolt to remain stationary withrespect to the striker plate on the door frame during small verticalmovements of the door relative to the frame, thereby eliminating thesqueaks above referred to. At the same time the provision of a structureto permit such movement of the latch bolt admirably lends itself to theprovision of additional means for insuring efficient means oflubricating rubbing surfaces of the latch colt to prevent possibility ofsqueaks developing from rubbing action thereof, and for resilientlyrestraining the latch bolt against possibility of rattling.

In order to obtain the advantages above described it will be noted thatin forming the opening in the front flange or plate 13 to receive theforward end 16 of the latch bolt 14, there is provided at the upper andlower edges of the end 16, a pair of inwardly disposed flanges 4'7 and48 which are formed by striking out the middle of the front plate eitherduring or after the formation of the opening therein. These flanges areso formed as to lie in parallel relation to the upper and lower edgesurfaces of the end 16 and materially spaced therefrom. In the spacebetween the flanges and the aforesaid surfaces of the end 16 there isdisposed a pair of channels 49 and 51 which normally extend intransverse relation to the end 16 and the side portions of which aredisposed outwardly from the adjacent surfaces of the latch and liealongside of the opposite edges of the flanges 47 and 48 respectively.The web portions 52 of the channels lie against the upper and lower edgesurfaces of the end 16 but are so remote from the flanges 47 and 48 asto provide passages 53 and 54 therebetween. In these passages aredisposed felt strips 56 and 57 which are compressed to such an extent asto resiliently and yieldably hold the channels 49 and 51 securelyagainst the upper and lower edge surfaces of the latch 16. It willtherefore be apparent that the end'16 of the bolt 14 is resilientlyretained between a pair of vertically yieldable members which thuspermits the desired relative and vertical movement of the end 16 of thebolt 14 with respect to the flange 13,

- and the compressed felt resiliently holds the bolt against rattling.

During the formation of the flanges 47 and 48 and in order to maintainthe outer edge surfaces of the channels 49 and 51 flush with respect tothe outer surface of the front plate 13, the material of the front plateadjacent the opening 22 is offset slightly in regions adjacent theflanges and as is indicated at 58. In order to provide oil or otherlubricating fluid for saturating the felt strips 56 and 57 within thechannels or passages 53 and 54, the front flanges of the channels areprovided with openings indicated at 59 and through which such fluid maybe supplied by the employment of an oil can or in any other desiredmanner. From the passages inside the channels 49 and 51, the oilabsorbed by the felt strips 56 and 57 is supplied to the surfaces of thebolt 14 adjacent the channels through openings 61 which are formed atsuch intervals as to provide the desired amount of lubrication.

It will be observed that if the door holding the latch moves downwardlyrelative to the cooperating door frame, due to any reason the end 16 ofthe bolt 14 will tend to remain fixed relative to the striker plate, andthe channel 49 will be moved nearer the flange 47 and consequently oilwill be compressed out of the felt strip 53. At the same time thechannel 51 will move away from the flange 48, due to the expansive forcecontained within the compressed felt strip 57. While the compression ofthe strip 56 will i io squeeze oil outwardly upon the bolt through theopening 61 in such channel, the opposite will be true in the case of thechannel 51, in which a condition of reduced pressure will prevail andoil will be transferred from the bottom of the bolt back into theexpanding felt strip 57. When conditions are reversed and the channel 49moves away from the flange 47, thus providing an opportunity for thefelt strip 5'7 to expand, any surplus oil previously squeezed out of thefelt strip upon the bolt will be returned through the opening 61 to theexpanding strip. At the same time the felt strip 5'? will be compressedand oil will be discharged through the opening 61 therein upon thesurface of the latch bolt which results from the previous expansiveaction of the felt strip. Thus it will be observed that the two channelsand the flanges projecting therein act somewhat like puin s toalternately and intermittently supply small quantities of oil to thebolt i l and to withdraw from the bolt any excess of oil suppliedthereto. A small quantity of the oil from the felt strips 56 and 57,other than the excess amount discharged from the strips and againreturned thereto through the opening 61,

will be distributed over the side face of the bolt end 16 adjacent theside plate 11 and this oil will amply lubricate the relatively largeamount of contacting surface between the two aforesaid parts. Althoughthe channels 49 and 51 are free to move to a slight extent relative tothe flanges 47 and 48 due to the relative movement between the door andthe frame therefor no 7 large amount of movement, sufiicient to compressthe strips 56 and 5'? to an undesirable extent, will be permitted byreason of the employment of the door dovetail devices previouslyreferred to and which resiliently limit the possible amount of movementbetween the two parts.

While a slight amount of up and down movement is permissible between thebolt end 16 and the front plate 13, it is not desirable to have the boltmove laterally with respect to such plate. Such sidewise movement mightseriously interfere with the function of the latch, which is to hold thedoor firmly in place within the door frame. With this purpose in view,the opening in the front plate for receiving the end 16 is formed justwide enough to receive the end 16 and without any more clearance than isnecessary for the free movement of the bolt within the opening. On theside of the bolt opposite the side plate 11, the material of the frontplate is formed to provide a rearwardly disposed flange 63, the outersurface of which is adapted to provide an enlarged bearing surface forengagement with the adjacent side surface of the bolt. In order tolubricate the bolt in the region of this flange, the inner surface ofthe front plate has secured thereto an angle member 64 having a flange66, the outer edge of which terminates flush with the adjacent surfaceof the bolt end 16. The angle member may be secured to the front plate13 by the employment of a plurality of screws 67 or any other suitablemeans. Between the angle member and the flange 63 formed on the frontplate 14 there is provided a space 68 extending transversely of the boltend 16 and in which is disposed a felt or other suitable strip 69,similar to the strips 56 and 5'7 employed on the upper and lower edgesof the bolt. This strip may be provided with oil from an oil can throughone or more openings 71 formed in the front plate 13 and the flange 63also may be provided with openings 72 for supplying oil to the boltdirectly through the flange. The angle member flange 66 is spacedslightly from the adjacent edge of the flange 63 to provide a slightamount of space through which the felt strip 69 may project into directcontact with the adjacent surface of the bolt.

It will be observed that the lubricating device embraces a section onone side of the bolt for lubricating the bolt without permittingrelative movement between the bolt and the front plate, in itsdirection, and a section at one of the edges of the latch forlubricating the surface thereof while permitting a limited amount ofrelative movement in its direction between the latch and the frontplate. It is apparent that these lubricating parts can be applied to anypart of the lock where lubrication is desired and may embrace any numberof sections either permitting or preventing relative movement betweenthe various parts of the structure while supplying oil or otherlubricating fluid thereto.

The principal elements of the lock with which the lubricating device isillustrated are shown merely for the purpose of disclosing the inventionin an operative structure and are in no way to be considered alimitation thereon.

While the structure disclosed constitutes a preferred form andapplication of the invention, it will be readily appreciated thatnumerous modified and equivalent structures may be employed within thepurposes of the invention as set forth herein and within the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door latch, in combination, a supporting structure, a latch boltassociated therewith having a projectable and retractible end portionsupported for a limited amount of lateral movement in one directionrelative to said supporting structure and restrained against lateralmovement in a direction substantially ninety degrees removed from thefirst mentioned direction, means co-operating with said end portionyieldably opposing the first mentioned lateral movement, and means forretracting and projecting said bolt.

2. In a door latch, in combination, a supporting structure, a latch boltassociated therewith having a projectable and retractible end portionsupported for a limited amount of lateral movement in one directionrelative to said supporting structure and restrained against lateralmovement in a direction substantially ninety degrees removed from thefirst mentioned direction, yieldable oil absorbing means opposing thefirst mentioned lateral movement, and means for retracting andprojecting said bolt.

3. A door latch comprising a front plate having an opening therein, alatch bolt projecting through said opening and being secured inside saidlatch for forward and backward movement relative to said front plate,and movable means within said front plate opening and slidably engagingsaid bolt for laterally moving within said opening in response tolateral movements of said bolt.

4. A door latch comprising a front plate having a flanged openingtherein, a latch bolt projecting through said opening and being securedinside said latch for forward and backward movement relative to saidfront plate, and a pair of transversely disposed channels engaging saidflanges on opposite sides of said bolt and slidably engaging said boltfor lateral movement therewith.

5. A lubricating device for latches and the like comprising a memberhaving a channel formed therein and adapted for engagement with one ofthe exterior surfaces of a latch bolt, a rigid flange formed on saidlatch and adapted to extend within said passage for retaining saidmember against movement in one direction but permitting movement of saidmember in another direction, and means within the space between saidmember and said flange for retaining lubricating fluid therein fordistribution to said bolt.

6. A lubricating device for latches comprising a member having a channelformed therein adapted to extend across one of the surfaces of a latchbolt, means adapted to secure said member against movement inthe normaldirection of operative movement of said bolt but to permit movementthereof in a direction normal to said direction of movement, said memberhaving openings therein providing communication between said passage andthe adjacent surface of said bolt, and means within said passage forretaining lubricating fluid therein.

'7. A lubricating device for latches comprising a member adapted to bemovably secured to a latch adjacent the bolt element thereof, saidmember being adapted to provide a passage for the reception oflubricating fluid adjacent one surface of said bolt, means comprising aquantity of felt material within said passage for absorbing lubricatingfluid for distribution to said bolt, and means for supplying lubricatingfluid to said felt material.

8. A door latch comprising a front plate having a flanged opening formedtherein, a latch bolt projecting through said opening in spaced relationto the flanged edge portion thereof, a pair of channels slidablysupported upon the flanges of said opening, and having the Web portionsthereof engaging said bolt, said flanges and channels providing passagestherein for thereception of oil absorbing material and means forsupplying lubricating fluid to said passages.

9. A door latch comprising a front plate having an opening formedtherein, said front plate having flanges projecting rearwardlytherefrom, a latch bolt projecting through said opening in spacedrelation to said flanges, a pair of channels movably disposed on saidflanges with the web portions thereof engaging said bolt, and the sideportions engaging opposite extremities of said flanges, said flanges andchannels being disposed in spaced relation to provide passagestherebetween, strips of lubricating fluid absorbing material disposed insaid passages, said channels having openings formed therein forsupplying lubricating oil to said passages and for exhaustinglubricating oil therefrom upon said bolt.

10. A door latch comprising a front plate having an opening therein, aflange extending inwardly from said front plate and formed along oneside of said opening, a latch bolt extending through said opening andengaging said flange, a member secured to said front plate and providinga passage between said member and said flange, said passage terminatingin a region occupied by said bolt, a quantity of lubricating fluid forsupplying lubricating fluid to said material.

ROLLO MARPLE.

